Switch and signal system



1927' R. M. ROBINSON SWI 'ICH AND SIGNAL SYSTBI 1 m ,LJ 1 R? V. a mu. m e R. m f/ m N T. m 1 A a w i m B 5 TE 9 1 q 2 h c a I d .m I.

a INVENTOR 7%Z rt% $031122 ao'n Y fi ATTORNEY R M ROBINSON swncn AND SIGNAL SYSTEM Filed March 29, 1923 June 7 1927.

Patented June 7, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT M. ROBINSON, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, .ASSIGNOR TO CHEATHAM ELEC- TRIC SWITCHING DEVICE CO. INC, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, A CORPORATION OF KENTUCKY.

SWITCH AND SIGNAL SYSTEM.

Application filed March 29, 1923. Serial No. 628,573.

The object of my invention is to provide a safe and sure switch and signal system which will operate under all conditions on heavy track, high speed service with the utmost certainty and reliability. This and other objects are accomplished by my invention, one embodiment of which is hereinafter more particularly set forth.

For a more detailed description of my invention, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part here- My improved switch device and signal system may be used whereverdestredand parts of the apparatus may be used elther on steam or electric roads. In the embodiment here shown, the track 1-has two connected switch point rails 2 and 3, one of which, the rail 2, is adapted to engage the rail & or be separated from the same and the other, the pivoted rail 3, is adapted to engage the rail 5 or be separated from the same. In no event can both the ralls 2 and 3 be placed so as to. carry a train at the same time. The rails 2 and 3 are connected by suitable crossings 6, one of which carries a bracket 7 which has perforated ends through which is extended a spindle 8.

This spindle 8 has two collars one of which is designated 9 and fixed on the spindle 8 and another one is designated 10' and this one slides freely on the spindle. The two collars 9 and 10 are separated by a coil ham Patent No. 612,702 where the switch spring 11. Both the collars 9 and, 10 and the spring 11 are within the bracket 7, as shown. The spindle 8 also carriesnuts 12 and a collar 13 on the outside of the bracket 11 and these are separated so that the spindle 8 can slide freely in said bracket, the purpose being that this spindle may be overthrown'so that the spring 11 is always in compression when the rail 2 is'in engagement with the rail 4 or when the rail 3 is in engagement with the rail 5. If anything should separate the rail 2 from the rail 4,

'frame 17 rests parallel to the track 1. The

cross head 14 is actuated by a pin 20 which extends through the cross head and into a cam 21 which slides laterally of the cross head and this cam causes the cross head to move in the direction of its length and the groove in the cam is so shaped and disposed, as shown, so that the cam can drive the cross head, but the cross head cannot drive the cam. One end of the cam 21 has a link 22 which is pivotally connected to the plunger 23 of the solenoid 18 and the other end 'of the cam 21 has a similar link 22 which is pivotally connected to the plunger 24 of the solenoid 19. From this it is apparent that if the solenoid 18 be energized the switch will (be thrown so that the rail 3 is against the rail 5, it not already there and if the solenoid 19 be energized the switch will be thrown so that the rail 2 is against the rail 4 so that the location of the rails 3 and 2 will. be determined by which solenoid was last energized.

As will appear below, these solenoids are energized according to whether power is on or off the motors of a car passing through the switch. This is a well known kind of operation which may be had in any of several ways. One way is shown in the Cheatis operated according to whether power is on or off the motors of the car.

The rear of the cross head 14 is pivotally connected to a link 25 which is also pivottrolley wire at the proper time and one or the other of these ground solenoids, but not both at once. When the apparatus is used with power on the motors oi the car passing through the system, the solenoid 18 is energized and it will then act, as above described, to throw the switch point rails it they are not already thrown, and when no power is on the motors of the car passing through the apparatus the solenoid 19 is energized with the effect above stated. N ow will be set forth the connections for energizing one or the other of these solenoids, as

set forth, and giving a proper signal.

The signal system.

The signal system will be first described. The trolley wire has a take off wire 36 which runs to a resistance 37 which is connected by a wire 38 to a red light 39 and a green light 40, The red light 39 is connected by a wire 41to the brush 33 and this brush may reston the commutator 30 which is grounded at 42. The red light shows that the switch is set for the curve in the preferred embodiment of my invention, although this may be changed, if desired. The green light is connected by a wire 43 v with a brush 34 which may rest on the commutator 30 and will so rest whenthe switch is set for the straight track and then the commutator 30 will throw so as to disengage the brush 33 and engage the brush 34, whereby a circuit is made to the ground through the commutator 30 and the ground connection 42. From this it is apparent that the signal lights 39 and 40 may be placed at any desired distance ahead of the switch so as to give the motorma-n ample warning of the condition that the switch is in as he approaches; whether he can see the same or not. If desired, several of these lights may be put in the same circuit so that the motorman can be warned at any of several points as to the condition of the switch.

T he switch system.

The switch system has a trolley pan 44 of the conventional type with a long rail 45 and a short rail 45 which may be approached by a trolley wheel 46 when off the trolley wire 35 and this trolley wheel wire 35 when on the long bar 45 through a wire 47 that is directly connected to the trolley wire35, a magnet 48 of a'relay 49 and a wire 50 that runs from the magnet 48 to the long bar 45. The relay 49 may be designated a selective relay because it determines which of the solenoids 18 or 19 will be energized, as will appear below. The wire 47 is connected to a wire 51 that runs to a magnet 52 of a slow acting relay 53 and this magnet has two coils one of which 52 is short circuited and the other is connected to a second wire 54 that has several connections, one of which is a resistance 55 which is grounded at 56. From this it is apparent that without regard to the trolley pan the relay 53 is constantly energized when the circuits are such that a current can flow through the resistance 55 to the ground, This is the normal condition of the relay 53 and when so energized its core 53 isenergized so as to raise two pivotally connected contacts 57 and 58, the former being raised to engage a fixed contact 59 and the latter so as to leave a fixed contact 60. The contact 60 is connected by a wire 61 to the wire 54 and then continues .to the commutator 28. It is also connected.

by a wire 62 to the commutator 29 so that a circuit may be established through one or the other of these commutators according to which is in contact. with its brush. The moving contacts 57 and 58 are connected to a wire 63 that runs to the bar 45 which also extends to a fixed contact 64. It is obvious that when the trolley wheel 46 is oil the trolley pan 44 or oil thevbar 45 that this wire is dead and when the trolley wheel is on the bar 45 this wire is energized and then can transmit a current.

While the magnet 52 of the relay 53 is energized, as is normally the case, as above stated, the core 53 is raised and thereby the contact 57 is against the fixed contact 59 and a circuit is then established when the trolley wheel :is on the bar 45 through this contact 57 and the wire 65 that runs to a magnet .67 of a magnetic blow out stick relay 68. This magnet 67 is connected .to a lead in wire 69 that .runs to a resistance 70 which is grounded through a ground wire 71 so that the instant the circuit is closed at the bar 45 by the trolley wheel 46 the magnet 67 is energized and when so energized it will raise its core 72. This core 72 is .pivotally connected to the pivoted arms 73, 74 and 75 which at their pivoted ends are connected to a wire 76 that runs to the wire 51 and at their movable ends they are adapted to engage their contacts, the contact of the bar 75 being the fixed contact 64, the contact of the bar 74 being the fixed contact 77 and the contact of the bar 73 being the fixed contact 78. The bar 73 carries a small magnet 79 to act as a blow out when a circuit is broken between the bar 73 and contact 78 and thereby prevents arcing.

The contacts 77 and 78 are connected by wires 80 and 81 to the pivoted bars 82 and 83 of the relay 49 and both of these bars move together and are actuated by a common core 84 to which they are pivotally connected in any suitable way and this core runs into the magnet 48 and also through the holding coil 85 which is fixed to the bottom of the magnet 48. hen the core 84 is in its lowest position, that is when the magnet 48 is not sufiiciently energized to raise this core, the bar 82 rests on a contact 86 that is connected by a wire 87 to the brush 31 and at the same time the bar 83 rests on a contact 88 which is connected by a wire 90 with the solenoid 19 which has its other end grounded through a wire 91. hen the core 84 is raised, the bars 82 gnd 83 rest against their respective contacts 92 and 93 and then circuits are established as follows. From the contact 92 through a wire 94 to the brush 32 and from thence through the commutator 29, wire 62 and wire 61, resistance 55 and wire 56 to ground and from the contact 93 through a wire 95 to the hold up magnet 85 and from thence through a wire 96 to the ground, through the solenoid 18 and wire 97.

Operatio In view of the foregoing, the operation of my improved switch will be readily understood.

lVhen the trolley wheel 46 is ofl the trolley pan 44 the relay 53 is energized so that the bars 57 and 58 are raised, as will appear by consulting the drawing where it is found that there is a complete circuit from the trolley wire to the ground through the wire 47, wire 51, magnet 52, wire 54, resistance 55 and ground wire 56. Assuming that the magnet 52 is so energized and the bar 57 is raised, it is obvious that no other current can flow through the apparatus because all the other circuits are open. It is changed, however, when the trolley wheel 46 gets on the bar and 0E the trolley Wire 35 and if power then be applied to the motors of the car, the magnet 48 is energized and raises the core 84 and-its attached parts which include the bars 82 and 83. If no power be drawn through the motors of the car at this time, this magnet 48 is not energized sufficiently to raise its core 84 and then the core will remain in the position shown in Figure 4. In any event, immediately after getting on the bar 45, the trolley wheel 46 gets also on the bar 45 and then it connects these bars and closes a circuit through the wire 63, contacts 57 and 59, wire 65, magnet 67, wire 69, resistance 70 and wire 71 to ground, thereby energizing the magnet 67 and raising its core 72 so that the bars 75, 74 and 73 are raised against their respective contacts 64, 77 and 78. If no power be applied to the motors of the car one circuit is established through the bar 73, contact 78, wire 81, bar 83 contact 88, wire 90, ground solenoid 19, ground wire '91 to the ground, whereby the core 24 is drawn into this solenoid and the switch is shifted 'for the straight track. hen this occurs, the link 25 is also shifted so as to throw the commutators 28, 29 and 30 into the position of the dotted lines. As soon as this has been done, a circuit is established through the bar 82, contact 86, wire 87, brush 31, commutator 28, wire 61, resistance and Wire 56 to ground, thereby short circuiting the coil 52. This short circuiting of the magnet 52 and the action of the closed circuit coil 52 and the relay 53' inalres'the relay 53 a slow acting relay. As soon as the connected winding of this magnet 52 is short circuited, this magnet will be energized to a substantial amount for a second or so by the closed coil 52 and its core 53 will fall afterthe coil 5.. has functioned and its bar 58 will then rest on the contact which will also ground the bar 45 through the wire 63, bar 58, contact 60 and wire 61, resistance 55, wire 56 to ground.

The falling of the core 53 also means an opening of the circuit at 59 which will open the circuit through the magnet 67 and thereby permit the core 72 with its attached parts to drop and then the magnetic blow out 79 acts to extinguish the are at the contact 78 and also opens the circuit at the fixed contacts 77 and 64 so that thereafter, while the trolley wheel remains on the trolley pan and connects the two bars 45 and 45 there can be no further energizing of the solenoid 19 and the coil 52 will continue to be short circuited through armature 58 and contact 60 until the trolley wheel 46 leaves the bar 45.

As soon as this occurs, the circuit through the wire 63 is open and then a current once more passes through the magnet 52 from the trolley wire 35 through the wires 47 and 51 to its solenoid and thence through the wire; 54, resistance 55 and ground wire 56 so that this magnet is again energized and elevates its core 53'" and opens the circuit at the contact 60 and closes the same at the contact 59 so that the apparatus is ready for another, operation. If the next time the apparatus is operated no power is applied to the motors of the car under the trolley pan, the cycle is repeated, but if power be applied to the motors so that the core 84 is raised, the pre liminary operations are exactly the same, as

ill)

above described, and the circuits are all closed the same as before, except that the raising of the core 84 causes the bars 82 and 83 to close their respective contacts at 92 and 93. WVhen this occurs a circuit is closed through the contact 93, wire 95, holding coil 85, wire 96 to the ground solenoid 18 which will have ample time to function before the delaying relay 53 opens the circuits, as above described. "Also there will be another circuit through the contact 92, wire 94, commutator 29, wire 62, wire 61 and resistance 55 as well as the ground wire 56 to the ground as soon as the shifting of the core 23 of the solenoid 18 has functioned through the connected parts to shift the commutator segments 28, 29 and 30 to the position shown in full lines in Figure 5. When this occurs the delay relay 53 functions after a delay of a second or so to open the circuits, as above described, thereby deenergizing the magnet 67 of the relay 68 and causing the circuits of this relay to open which in turn will prevent the ground solenoid 18 from receiving any current while the trolley wheel 46 remains on the bar 45. lowever, the core 84 will remain raised as long as current is drawn through the trolley wheel 46- while on the bar 45 and off the trolley wire 35, but this is immaterial as the circuits through the bars connected to the core 84 are dead. Once the trolley wheel 46 leaves the bar 45 the action is the same as to opening the short circuit of the coil 52 and then this coil is energized, as above described, so as to raise the core 53? and make the apparatus ready for the next operation. As soon as the trolley wheel 46 leaves the bar 45, it the appara tus has had time to function the circuit through the solenoid 48 is opened and the core 84 will fall and open the circuits through the contacts 93 and 92 which are then dead contacts so that no sparking can occur.

It will be noted that in any event the magnet 79 acts as a magnetic blow out to destroy any are at the'fixed contact 78 and that the magnet 52 of the relay 53 is a little slow in its action because it is never cut out of circuit, it is simply short circuited with the result that it is a delayed'action relay which operates with sufficient deliberation to give ample time for the ground solenoids l8 and 19 t on'so t at their ma r 3 an 24 respectively are magnetically cushioned; that is, they do not come up against a pole piece or stop, but may swing past center and then return to a central position in their respective solenoids. This cushioning is doneto eliminate shock. It will be noted that the coil 52 of the r lt y .3 is short-circuited at the end of the throw or the cross head, which drives the switch point, but the current s not immediately removed from the ground solenoid 18 or 19 (depending on which is energized), and the reason for not removing the current immediately is to allow the armature of the energized solenoid to magnetically cushion and stop itself.

It will be seen that it is not necessary for the switching device to function entirely during the time of passage of trolley wheel 46 through contactor 44. It is necessary only for the speed of car to be slow enough to allow coil 67 of relay 68 to attract its armature 72 when current fiows from bar 45 through trolley wheel 46 to bar 45?, through wire 63, through pivoted contact 57, fixed contact 53, wire 65, coil 67, wire 69, resistor 70, wire 71 to ground, because when armature 72 is attracted it brings pivoted contact 75 in against fixed contact 64, thereby closing circuit from trolley wire 35, through wire 47, wire 51, wire 76, pivoted contact 75, fixed contact 64, wire 63, pivoted contact 57, fixed contact 53, wire 65, coil 67, wire 69, resistor 70, wire 71 to ground. This stick circuit would cause armature 72 of relay 68 to remain in the attracted position against front contacts until the switch has been thrown and the commutators 28, 29 and 30 thrown into the reverse position, thereby short-circuiting coil 52, of relay 53, as described above, the arn'iature of which drops after an element of time for the purpose above described, and in dropping breaks the stick circuit of coil 67 by opening the circuit at contact 53.

This makes the apparatus very reliable in operation and as the parts are simple, positive and momentary in their action and gravity controlled or positively shifted in harmony with the energizing of the ground solenoids, there is no liability of the apparatus to get out of order or to fail to function. Furthermore, for the reasons above given, if the trolley wheel 46 should remain for some time on the bars 45 and 45 there could be no burning out of the grou nd solenoids 18 or 19 because the circuits would open through the relays 53 and 68, as above described, so that such burning out would be impossible, nor could the starting of the car afterthe functioning of the apparatus and while the trolley wheel 46 is connecting the bars 45 and 45* in any way afiect the cycle of operation that the motorman running I the car through this apparatus, does not have to be particular as to where he stops All that he has to do is to be sure that when he enters the trolley pan and has his trolley wheel first on the bar 45 and then on the bars 45 and 45?, he has his power on area the motors according to the way he wishes to go ,and if he is correct as to this, the apparatus will function correctly regardless as to whether he asses the trolley "pan very rapidlyorverys o'wl'y orstops lNhile I have shown and described one embo ment 9 awa ess it i ob a that it is not to be restricted thereto, but that it is broad enough to cover all structuresthat come within the scope of the annexed claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1 In an apparatus of the class described, a trolley wire and a switch point rail and a switching device connecting the same, including switch point throwing mechanism, electric circuits having three relays, one of said relays being a selective relay with connec tions running to the ground solenoids which control the switch point rail, a second relay with a grounded magnet for breaking the circuits through the selective relay armatures, and a third slow release relay wit-h a magnet continually in circuit between the trolley wire and the ground and a commutator switch connected to the switch point throwing mechanism by means of which the magnet Of the slow release relay may be short circuited when the switch point rail has been completely thrown to the reverse posi tion and not until then, to deenergize the second relay.

2. In a system of the class described a pair of ground solenoids, for operating a track switch, a trolley wire, a trolley pan, a controlling relay connected to said trolley pan determining which of the ground solenoids shall be energized, a normally energized slow release relay, a third relay with a mag net in circuit with an armature of the second mentioned relay, said third relay controlling said slow release relay, operating circuits for the ground solenoids controlled by said third relay and means for deenergizing said slow release relay a predetermined time after] said track switch has been operated.

3. In an electric switch operating device a pair of solenoids for operating a track switch, a source of power, a trolley pan, a normally energized slow release relay, means for operating said solenoids including a. re-' lay controlled by said slow release relay and means for deenergizing said slow release relay a predetermined time after said track switch has been operated.

l. In an electric switch operating device, a pair of solenoids, a source of power, a trolley pan, a normally energized slow release relay, means for operating said solenoids including a relay controlled by said slow release relay, shunting means for deenergizing said slow release relay a predetermined time after said switch has been 0perated and means for restoring the apparatus after operation.

5. In an electric switch operating system a pair of solenoids, a source of power, a trolley pan, a slow release relay, connected normally to the source of power, means including a relay controlled by said slow release relay tor directing current through the said solenoids and means for deenergizing said slow release relay a predetermined time after said switch has been operated in order to prevent operation of the switch during the time said slow release relay is deenergized. v

6. In an electric switch operating device, a pair of solenoids, a source of power, a trolley pan, a slow release relay connected normally to the source of power, means including a relay controlled by said slow release relay for directing current through the said solenoids, means for deenergizing said slow release relay a predetermined time after said switch has been operated in order to prevent operation of the switch and means for restoring the energization of said slow release relay.

7. In an electric switch operating device, a pair of solenoids for operating a switch, a source of power, a trolley pan, a normally energized slow release relay connected to said source of power, operating circuits to said solenoids including a relay controlled by said slow release relay and means for automatically deenergizing said slow release relay a predetermined time after said switch has been operated in order to prevent further operation of said switch operating device during the passage of a car.

8. In an electric switch operating device, a pair of solenoids for operating a switch, a source of power, a trolley pan, a normally energized slow release relay connected to said source of power, operating circuits to said solenoids including a relay controlled by said slow release relay, means for auto matically deenergizing said slow release relay a predetermined time after said switch has been operated in order to prevent further operation of said switch operating device during the passage of a car, and means for restoring the energization of said slow release relay after the passage of a car.

9. In an electric switch operating device, a pair of solenoids, asource of power, a trolley pan, a selecting relay connected to said trolley pan, a slow release relay connected normally to the source of power, means controlled by said slow release relay for directing current through the said solenoids and including an auxiliary relay, means :t'or deenergizing said slow release relay a predetermined time after said switch has been operated and means for deenergizing said auxiliary relay after said slow release relay becomes deenergized.

10. In an electric switch operating device, a pair of solenoids, a source of power, a slow release relay connected normally to the source of power, means including a relay controlled by said slow release relay for directing current through the said solenoids, means for deenergizing saidslow release relay a predetermined time after said switch has been operated in order to prevent con tinned operation of the switch and means for restoring the energization of said slow releaserclay.

11. In an electric switch operating system "a pair of solenoids, a source of power, a

trolley pan, a slow release relay connected normally to the source of power, means including a relay controlled by said slow release relay for directing current through the said solenoids, means for deenergizing said slow release relay a predetermined time after said switch has been operated in order to prevent continued operation of the switch during the time said slow release rela is deenergized, means for preventing su sequent energization of said slow release relay, and means for restoring the system to normal. I

12. In an electric switch operating device, a pair of solenoids, a source of power, a trolley pan, a selecting relay connected to said trolley pan, a slow release relay connected normally to the source of power,

means controlled by said slow release relay for directing current through the saidso'lenoids and including an auxiliary relay, means for deenergizing said slow release relay a predetern iined time after said switch has been operated, means for deenergiz'ing said auxiliary relay after said slow release relay becomes deenergized, and means for restoring the energization of said slow release relay,

13. In an electric switch operating device a solenoid for operating a track switch, a

source of power, a trolley pan; a normally energized slow release relay controlling the operation of said solenoid and means for shunting said slow release relay controlled by the position of the track switch.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 12th day of March, 1923.

Bonner M. ROBINSON. 

